If there is any technology or issue that unites deaf and hard of hearing people, it is closed captioning. Closed captioning is simply the encoding of words into the program, which can not be seen without decoding technology. All televisions with screens 13 inches or larger manufactured after 1993 must have closed caption decoding circuitry. A book has been written on closed captioning, "Inside Captioning." People who have never seen closed captions before should read this overview.
Television captioning was made mandatory by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Two good places to go for more information on mandatory captioning are:
- Federal Communications Commision's captioning section on the FCC website. The FCC website includes the captioning regulations, a factsheet, guidance on filing complaints, and information on requests for exemptions to the captioning requirements.
- Gary Robson's CapFAQ, now Caption Central, web site. Robson clearly explains and demonstrates what closed captioning is. The FCC regulations on captioning have generated many questions, which Robson attempts to answer on his standards and laws page. The CapFAQ site is frequently updated to reflect changing captioning technology. For example, the Digital and Internet captioning page looks at captioning on the internet. Another page discusses captions on digital television.
Another important captioning site to visit is the Described and Captioned Media Program. This program provides free captioned films and videos to schools and families with hearing impaired members. On the DCMP site, you can register and order films or view films online, and search the catalog. It costs nothing to borrow these films and videos - even the postage is paid. The DCMP web site also provides the history of the program, articles about how the DCMP program has helped educators, information for captioning vendors that want to be part of the program, and more.
On my own web site, Closed Captioning Web, I maintain a listing of captioning service providers internationally, alphabetically and geographically. A similar listing is available from the Captioned Media Program.
Related About.com site: TV/Video
